Heartless (Crossbreed Series Book 9)
Page 41
“All he needs is you.”
“I know he came around here looking for me. If I find out that you two have a pact—”
“We don’t have a pact. He showed up on his own. Your old man has visions or some shit. I heard rumors years ago that he had a dream around the time you went missing. Or maybe it was before.” Switch heaved a sigh. “But I know where you’re coming from. Crush is a tough son of a bitch, but you’re right. He doesn’t need to worry around the clock. That’s why I had Christian call him last night and let him know that you were okay.” Switch stepped closer and let his arms fall to his sides. “You have my word. In fact, secrecy is part of my contract. You should have seen what Viktor made me sign. It looked like the Declaration of fucking Independence. I signed it, he signed it, an alpha from the local council signed it, Christian signed it.”
“Why Christian?”
“They needed a witness. Viktor wanted to let the Shifter authorities know about the agreement, but Christian will be the one who scrubs my memories if I bail early.”
“I didn’t have to sign anything.”
“No, you probably signed something in blood.”
“Actually…” Then I cut myself off, deciding not to tell Switch about our blood ceremony and tattoos. Viktor probably wanted something more official for Switch since he was also helping to rebuild his reputation among the local packs.
I steered my gaze outside and reached up for the heart-shaped ruby around my neck. Christian had put it on while I slept, and it gave me reassurance to wake up with it, making me feel like myself again. I thought about the Shifters we freed and hoped they were having a nice big meal tonight.
“How do you know if you can really trust someone?” I asked.
As Gem floated on her back, Niko stood nearby, holding her hand.
“I don’t know. I guess you just feel it in your gut.”
My brain told me that Houdini was behind my burial, but my gut wasn’t so sure.
“I was wrong about Christian.” Switch took a step behind me so that I couldn’t see his face anymore. “He really does love you.”
As he walked off, I watched Niko and Gem for a short while, expecting him to let go of her hand, but he never did. Deciding that he’d probably noticed my light in the window and might find it intrusive, I walked up to the third floor and headed to my room.
“I thought you were going to eat something.” Christian fell into step beside me.
“I changed my mind. I just needed to talk to Viktor and smooth things over.” After a pregnant pause, I asked a question I’d been avoiding. “Do you know who buried me?”
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked if it was me.” When I didn’t answer, he stepped in front of me and held a serious look. “Ask me.”
“I know it wasn’t you.”
He almost looked offended as he quirked an eyebrow. “And how can you be so sure?”
I tugged his beard. “Because then you’d be stuck with that colossal tattoo. Plus you’d have my father to deal with.”
“Jaysus.”
“How did you find me? I’m not sure what to believe since Wyatt’s story kept changing.”
“By late afternoon, I didn’t have a good feeling about your absence. We traced your boots to an open field. You could have tossed the bag yourself, but Wyatt pulled up a map of the area, and if someone had it in for you, the last stop would be the cemetery. Wyatt fancies himself a hero, but Gem was the one who blasted the hole.”
I blanched at the mental image. “And my mother?”
“Worry not, lass. Her grave is intact. I’ll stop there tomorrow night to be sure your grave was filled and headstone replaced. I wouldn’t want your da having a coronary at the sight of your open casket.”
I shuddered and continued my walk. “Were there any clues?”
Christian caught up. “Claude didn’t smell anything. Don’t trouble yourself thinking about it. We’ll find out who did it. Secrets never stay in the dark for long.”
I rubbed my forehead, wishing I could find a way to stop thinking about it.
“Do you want to take a drive? I know a diner with the most atrocious chili.”
I smiled as I opened my bedroom door. “That sounds good. I need to get out of here for a little while. Can we invite Switch?”
“If that’s what you desire.”
I crossed the room toward my desk. “He invited me to hang out a minute ago, and I said no. I think he gets lonely around here.”
Christian sighed as he followed behind me. “Perhaps the man needs a turtle.”
I chortled. “A turtle?”
“Aye. They make excellent companions and outlive most pets.”
I sat down at my desk with my package.
“What’s in the box?”
“I’m about to find out.”
Christian lit a candle and stood close as I cut the twine with a push dagger and peeled off the cardboard paper. I pulled open the flap and stared at a carefully packaged bottle inside. Thick crinkle paper protected it from all sides.
“Is that alcohol?” Christian set down the candle and peered inside the box.
I pulled out the pink bottle and noticed a black label on the front. “Love potion.”
“And here all this time I thought you just took a shine to my devilishly good looks.”
The box didn’t have a note or card, but it didn’t require much sleuthing to guess who had sent it. Houdini had briefly mentioned something about love potions during our conversation and suggested they were popular at one time.
“Who sent you that?” Christian asked, playing with a piece of the packaging.
I stood up and wrapped my arms around him. “Someone with a twisted sense of humor.”
“I don’t think it comes more twisted than mine,” he said against my lips.
We fell into a deep kiss that made me push up on my tiptoes. Maybe we could postpone dinner and eat in.
He rubbed his nose against mine. “You’re going to keep the potion?”
“I might need it if you ever work for Lenore again.”
“What’s in that bottle is filled with nothing but shite magic that fades.”
“Doesn’t all love fade?”
He swept me off my feet and looked deep into my eyes. I felt myself drowning in those tranquil pools of midnight, and butterflies tickled my stomach. “Worry not, lass. What I feel for you will never fade. You can’t bottle the magic between us. Now let me buy you an awful bowl of chili.”
“Only if you promise to treat me to apple pie à la mode afterward.”
He carried me to the door and stopped by the mirror. I caught our reflection, and for a moment, I entertained the idea of him as a groom, carrying me over a threshold. It put a smile on my face.
“What are you thinking about, lass?”
“I was just thinking how good I look in your arms.”
“Aye, we make a handsome couple, don’t we, Precious?”
“What are you thinking?”
He admired our reflection in the mirror. “I was just wondering if your da will ever take a shine to me.”
“Maybe when pigs fly.”
He opened the door and strolled down the hall. “Did you know that a zebra combined with any other equine is called a zebroid? And a lion crossbreeding with a tiger is called a liger.”
“Why are you smiling like that and telling me about zebras?”
“It won’t be long before they cross a pig with an eagle. There’s hope for me after all.”
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THE MAGERI SERIES is an exciting urban fantasy romance about a young woman's claim to immortality. Passionate, humorous, dark, and full of unpredictable twists, the Mageri series will take you on an unforgettable journey of love, friendship, and the hidden power within us all. Cliffhanger-free.
THE SEVEN SERIES is a paranormal romance that portrays Shifters living in secret in the modern world. A blend of humor, heartwarming romance, drama, and real-life issues. This series is for those who believe in family, second chances, and finding that person who completes you. Cliffhanger-free. HEA.
THE CROSSBREED SERIES is a new Urban Fantasy Romance following a rogue who is half-Vampire, half-Mage. Caught between two worlds, she joins forces with a secret organization that takes down criminals. Will desire become her biggest distraction when she is paired up with a Vampire?
Note: All of Dannika’s books are written in the same universe, but each can be read independently from the rest. Some Breeds within are original Dannika Dark creations. If you would like to experience each twist and crossover as it was intended, suggesting reading order can be found HERE. Sometimes ordinary people are destined for extraordinary lives.
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Books by Dannika Dark:
THE MAGERI SERIES
Sterling
Twist
Impulse
Gravity
Shine
The Gift
MAGERI WORLD
Risk
NOVELLAS
Closer
THE SEVEN SERIES
Seven Years
Six Months
Five Weeks
Four Days
Three Hours
Two Minutes
One Second
Winter Moon
SEVEN WORLD
Charming
THE CROSSBREED SERIES
Keystone
Ravenheart
Deathtrap
Gaslight
Blackout
Nevermore
Moonstruck
Spellbound
Heartless
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